Shure: SRH440A and SRH840A Headphones | Full Demo and Review

Can Shure bring its stellar reputation for microphone quality to the headphone world? Engineering the Sound tested out the SRH440A and SRH840A to find out.
Shure has been doing its thing for almost a century now. Far from a legacy brand, this American company has gone from strength to strength on the back of rock-solid classics like the SM57, SM58, and SM7B. But that doesn't mean they haven't moved with the times. Case in point: two new headphone models, 440A and 840A.
Aimed squarely at audio content creators of all kinds, these two models are sturdy, comfy, and perform well across a host of studio tasks. Engineering the Sound took a closer look at these two pairs of headphones and identified the key similarities and differences.
Coming in at approximately $200 AUD, the Shure 440A is in a pretty competitive market for studio monitoring headphones. Though they'll work perfectly fine for casual listening, they don't have the bells and whistles (Bluetooth, noise cancelling, wireless operation) you might expect from 'lifestyle' headphones. They're aimed at getting the job done with a minimum of fuss - a field in which it excels. Simply plug in the cable, and you're ready to go.
They have a circumaural design, which means that a seal is created right around the ear. This makes sounds easy to pinpoint in noisy environments - and with its 40 mm drivers - a broad expanse of the frequency spectrum is covered. Its character is punchy and clear, with a slight emphasis toward the upper-midrange, which is great for working with vocal-heavy material like podcasts and a natural choice for musicians to monitor sounds from the studio floor.
Priced at around $400 AUD, the Shure 840A is a bigger investment. The packaging, however, is very similar to the 440A, with the exception of an included carry pouch. Operation-wise, it's a similarly straightforward affair - a standard cabled headphone. So what do you get for the extra spend?
They're more blingy for starters. Gold details emerge from the logo on the earcups and the stitching across the headband. Even the gold adaptor indicates a level up in prestige. But as with all headphones, it's all about sound.
According to the Shure website, the 840A offers a "precisely tailored frequency response [that] delivers rich bass, clear mid-range and extended highs." And when you listen to them, it's hard to argue. But to elaborate, the bass range offers up clarity across several octaves, delivering subs and more natural bass (like bass guitar, for example) with discernible detail.
At the other end of the spectrum, the aforementioned "extended highs" means that you can dive into mix details on a surgical level and feel confident that your decisions will translate effectively across many real-world playback environments.
So in short: yes, the 840A is worth double the price of admission. That isn't to completely discount the versatility of the 440A, which will do the job admirably in all but a few situations. But if you do need to zero in on the finer points of a mix, the 840A is your best bet.
Shure 840A: bit.ly/3HvrG8K
Shure 440A: bit.ly/3HxlhKj
Produced by Happy Mag: happymag.tv/
Recorded at Enmore Audio: happymag.tv/enmore-audio/
Find out more: bit.ly/3C3ncoF
#Shure #EngineeringTheSound #440A #840A #headphones #productdemo #review #audio

[@hotmessmathwithkumumalia3876]

Thank you! Exactly the info I needed to make an informed decision between the 2 I was considering.

[@moviemanstuff7108]

I don’t have a treated room for mixing. What headphones suggestions do you have around the same price point of these?

[@guybuddy1]

I bought both of these and ended up keeping the 440... FYI my main monitors are the Sony MDR cd900st.

[@officejonathan2351]

Can you plug these headphones on a acoustic guitar ?

[@ClaytonBridges]

Great video man! I just bought audio technica M40s and they were way too tight around my ears. These were almost identical headphones, same price point ($100 usd for me) same color and style, similar quality. I had senheissers that were very similar also. Anyways, I exchanged the M40s for the srh440a and I'm listening to them now. Pretty awesome actually. I'm hearing sounds I havent heard before 🤣

[@lakshmisankararaju4493]

How would you differenttiate m40x and 440A

[@lakshmisankararaju4493]

In sound signature

[@ClaytonBridges]

@@lakshmisankararaju4493 Frankly I'm not an audio expert at all, I'm just a guy who listens to music, games and makes youtube videos. I think when I compared the two, the shures seemed to be very similar, I would say they do have a higher quality sound, maybe a bit less bass. I feel like I can hear more sounds in music with the Shures 🤣 They both sounded really good to be honest. I went with the shures because of the shape of the cups on the inside, theyre considerably larger. The M40s have small cups that laid on my actual ear, instead of around it, and that is way too uncomfortable for me. The shures are very quality all around and the best sounding headphones I've personally owned.

[@ClaytonBridges]

that being said, I expect them to be fine for gaming, and basic video editing.

[@ClaytonBridges]

@@lakshmisankararaju4493 I also listen to asmr, which definitely utilizes sound quality, and I think the shures are fantastic. There's no price difference, but I would always pick the shures solely based on the fit on my head personally. The M40s also had a very tight clamping force. Though my dad has M50s and they seem to have broken in nicely.

[@TimothyDuran]

Great video! I wonder how these compare to the original 440 and 840.

[@josteinbreiland5418]

Getting a pair of 440a tomorrow, and I'm really looking forward to hear the difference! I like the original 440's very much - actually one of _very_ few headphones I really like without any eq ☺️

[@Draxion_]

@@josteinbreiland5418 looking forward to the update

[@josteinbreiland5418]

Srh44oA vs Srh44o Plastic feels cheap, comfy pads and padding. Compared to the original 44o's they are harder to drive. Not so much in spl, but going downwards in capacity from a DragonFly black, they change character quite drastically. Less bass is most noticeable, and over all less v-shaped. (DragonFly black sounds very full and "dark" on its own so every headphones will get affected . But it's so noticable with these I think it's worth mentioning) There is more room between instruments, wider soundstage. Quite good for a budget closed back IMO. A big difference from the 44o's, wich has a more "nearfield sound" But 44oA are v-shaped. Guitars, vocals, fiddles - anything midrange grounded, sounds lighter and brighter. Vocalists take a step back. From the midrange and up the theme is less meaty overall. For instance cymbals lacks some of the lower harmonics, and combined with a elevated treble they get more... sizzling? An occasional "treble-sting" can occur, but not a problem for me...and I'm quite allergic to peaks in the treble. They perform better than many other budget cans in this regard. Bass is not coherent with midrange. It sounds like adding a sub to a pair of bookshelf speakers. A bit boomy/one note bass. And it's elevated. I'm also guessing there is a resonance in lower bass somewhere, giving the impression of deeper bass than it actually can deliver. In general they don't suit my taste without eq (not many headphones do) And I get no "studio vibes" listening to them. But, I will keep them, as they change to the better (tonally) driven by my Integrated Pioneer amp/Denon all-in-one amp/surround receiver/smart phone. Not much headroom combined with these sources, but I mostly listen at low levels. But ok tonality combined with good comfort AND A STRAIGHT CORD makes them practical for me in a "all purpose" use...except for critical listening. So, that's my subjectively take on them, VS the original srh44o . And I love srh44o ☺️

[@TimothyDuran]

@@josteinbreiland5418 thank you for taking the time to write that review out!

[@Nyaruko]

Good durability haha, every pair of 840s i had met the same death, failure in the adjuster, my current headband is drilled and ziptied just to keep it going

[@ivan.rusanov]

The worst part of the first gen 440 and 840 was the headband - heavy, creaky and they break over time. This is a common flaw... I have both 440 and 840 and their headbands broke, so I had to replace them with a cheaper 3rd party options. Hopefully these are better.

[@odiloglobochnik2259]

I wonder how do you treat them. I have had the 440 for maybe 10 years, used them a lot and carried in a backpack. No breakage. One hinge broke because a full-grown woman stepped on them.

[@ivan.rusanov]

@@odiloglobochnik2259 Maybe it's my head and the strain on the the headband is greater compared to yours, I don't know. I've used them on the desk only. 840 was my daily driver at the office, which means I've used them for several hours during the day while coding and several cycles of putting them on and off my head during the day. The first thing that needed a replacement was the padding on top as the faux leather disintegrated. The Chinese headband made them much lighter and is still in tact, but I don't use them much anymore. Usually reaching for the 1540 now and recently bought Aonic 50 for travelling. Tempted to try the 840A, but I don't really need another pair of headphones. PS: Too bad the new headband seems to be unavailable as a spare part, otherwise it may actually fit the older models.

[@redcomn]

If mine broke I’ll just buy the new 840a and 440a headband and still use my old driver. That’s how much I prefer the old sound

[@ivan.rusanov]

@@redcomn The problem is I can't find the headband as a spare part anywhere, otherwise I'd buy.

[@Pwnisification]

would you recommend 440A for casual music listening?

[@uguryay]

I want to know the answer of this question too!